There are 26 bones in the foot, including seven rounded tarsal bones and five metatarsal bones. The human foot is the only foot that has bones meeting at the heel and ball of the foot to produce arches. Due to the complexity of the human foot, there may be many reasons for an individual to seek podiatry care. Answers to the following questions will help when making a podiatrist appointment.

Are podiatrists medical doctors?
Podiatrists are trained health care professionals that must complete three to four years of education including four years at a podiatry school. They must also complete state board exams to become licensed doctors in their respective states.

What services does a podiatrist provide?
Podiatrists treat a variety of foot, ankle and leg disorders. Services include prescribing medication or treatment plans for arch problems, heel spurs, bunions, ankle and foot injuries, infections, deformities and diabetic foot issues such as diabetic neuropathy. Pediatric podiatrists deal with foot deformities of the foot, heel or ankle and other podiatry issues of young children and adolescents.

Will insurance pay for podiatry services?
Podiatrists are medical doctors and will generally accept most insurance. However, it depends on your insurance provider and whether or not the doctor will accept that carrier. Patients on Medicare or Medicaid may have to see the podiatrist on a referral basis to get approved payment on services. Before confirming any appointment with the podiatrists’ office, ensure they accept your medical insurance.

Will visiting a podiatrist automatically require physical therapy?
No. The doctor may simply prescribe medication or physical therapy. Torn tendons in the foot or ankle, broken toes or certain sport injuries may require physical therapy for a period of time. Minor issues like corn, calluses or bunions on the toes do not require such therapy.

American Podiatric Medical AssociationFind an excellent doctor in your area to treat all of your podiatric needs with help from our association. Our professional association of podiatrists is committed to helping you find the right doctor.

To be a podiatrist, individuals are required to receive an undergraduate degree, and they also need training from a four-year podiatry program. Like other doctors, they must also be licensed to practice medicine. As a specialty, podiatry is in high demand.

Some may offer general services, others may specialize. Most commonly, the specialties are geriatric, pediatric and sports medicine. Minor surgery is not uncommonly performed in podiatry clinics, for example, minor surgery is sometimes performed to remove heel spurs.

Geriatric podiatrists are commonly faced with issues caused by poor circulation, especially in diabetics. Arthritis of the foot and ankle is also common in the elderly. Many older people develop a condition that causes heel pain and is commonly treated with physical therapy and increased arch support. Older people are also more prone to bunions and ingrown toenails.

In pediatrics, care tends to focus on overall development of a healthy foot and ankle. In some cases, pediatric deformities such as a club foot have to be dealt with.

Although podiatry is about feet, issues in sports medicine often involve the entire leg. A podiatrist may be involved in the treatment of a tendon injury. They may also have to treat turf toe and even broken toes as a result of a sports injury. Ballet dancers are unusually prone to bunions as a result of time spent on their toes.

General podiatrists may treat a variety of problems. They may prescribe pain relievers. Much of what they do is preventive care and offering advice on how to avoid foot problems. They may offer, for example, advice on the best kind of shoe to wear.

The combination of an aging population and an increase in physical activity is likely to increase the demand for podiatry specialists.